Patent GB-431048-A (GB)
Title: Improved machine for filling siphon bottles and the like
IPC: B67C3/06
Filed: 1933-09-29
Abstract: 431,048. Rotary bottling - machines. COWEY, L. E., Archer Works, Kew Gardens, Surrey. Sept. 29, 1933, No. 26893. [Class 125 (ii)] In a rotary machine for filling syphon bottles and like containers with aerated liquids under pressure of the kind in which the bottles are progressively filled and snifted as they are carried around on the rotary table while sealed to filling heads that are all connected to central filling and snifting valves, the filling valve and the snifting valve are mounted upon spring-controlled spindles that are disposed radially of the axis of the rotary table and rotate relatively to a series of fixed cams adapted to operate the valves alternately. As shown the machine comprises a rotary column 8, Fig. 1, supporting the bottle carriers A and filling heads B and an extension 10 having radial arms 12, 11 housing the spring-controlled spindles 28, 27<a>, Fig. 3, of the filling valve 26 and snifting valve 27 : the valves are normally held against their seats by the spring 26a and the valve 26, when opened, establishes communications between the pipe 22 connected to a supply of aerated liquid under pressure and pipes 42 connected to a header 43 of annular form supported on the column 8 and communicating with the individual filling heads. The snifting valve is opened when the filling valve shuts and allows gas to escape from the syphon being filled through the filling head, header 43, pipes 42, chamber 30b and pipe 31a to an adjustable escape valve 80 or to a counter pressure chamber mounted on the column 8. The valve spindles 28, 27a extend through glands at the ends of the arms 11, 12 and engage plungers 36 slidable in sockets 35 and carrying rollers 38, 38<a> respectively engaging cams 40, 41 fixed to the plate 7 of the machine frame, the roller 38 engaging the upper series of cams 40 and the roller 38<a>, the lower series 41 ; the cams are interchangeable to suit the capacity of the syphons and the cams 41 have a considerably shorter operative contact with the spindle 27a than the cams 40 have with the spindle 28. The header 43, Fig. 5, comprises an internal annular channel 47 communicating with the pipes 42 and with tubular bosses 43<a> each carrying a tubular filling head support 51, the bore of which connects the channel 47 with a cylindrical head 56 slidable on the support and pressed by a spring 60 to hold a seat 63 in the head against the flanged end 53b of the support which has a grooved part 53a slidable through the seat 63 ; the end of the head 56 carries an outlet nozzle 62 having a flared mouth provided with a perforated packing 64 with which the spout 75<a> of the syphon 76 is engaged while being filled. The syphon carriers each comprises a lined socket 73 in which the head of the inverted syphon is placed, the socket being mounted in an innerframe 65 pivoted on a bar 72 carried from a plate 45 on the rotary column 8, the frame 65 being disposed between the arms of an outer frame 66 also pivoted on the bar and carrying a roller 68 running on a fixed cam track 70 while a roller 69 carried from a sleeve 69<c> on the rod 72 runs on a second fixed cam track 71 and is connected by springs 76 to the rear end of the outer frame 66 and has a lug 69d engaging a crossbar 66<a> in the frame. The sockets 73 are slotted at opposite sides to accommodate the spouts 75<a> and valve levers 75b of the inverted syphon bottles which are inserted in the carriers as the sockets 73 are inclined outwards by the cam tracks 70, 71 at the receiving side of the machine and as the column 8 continues to rotate the frame 65 is raised by the track 70 to raise the syphon to the vertical position with the spout 75<a> engaging with the nozzle 62 of a filling head and forcing the head back along the support 61 against the action of the spring 60 to unseat the flanged end 53b and establish communication with the liquid supply from the header 43 ; the cam track 71 then raises the outer frame so that a roller 78 at the outer end thereof engages the syphon valve lever 75b to open the valve and place the syphon into communication with the filling and snifting valves which are then alternately opened and closed to progressively charge each bottle with gas and liquid and snift it. As each syphon carrier approaches the delivery side of the machine, the cam tracks allow the syphon to drop to disengage it from the filling head which is closed by its spring 60, the syphon valve closing and the syphon being carried outwards from the machine for removal therefrom. Radial guards 111 may be arranged between the syphon carriers and heads and an apertured cylindrical guard may be arranged outside them. The extension 10 carrying the filling and snifting valves is mounted in ball bearings at the centre of a bridge-piece 19 bolted to the fixed plate 7 of the machine and the lower end of the column 8 is supported in ball bearings and is driven by worm gearing from a shaft 92 carrying driving and loose pulleys, the driving pulley being connected to the shaft 92 through a friction clutch. According to the Provisional Specification the filling and snifting valves may be alternately operated by the same cams which may be slowly rotated on pivots to equalize wear. Specifications 431,123 and 431,124 are referred to.